The Ultimate New Hire Checklist [+ FREE Template]
Recruitment is just the first step in attracting and retaining top talent. A new hire checklist that ensures a successful onboarding process is essential if you want to achieve greater hire retention and boost the productivity of new hires. As an HR professional, your role is to create an exceptional new hire onboarding process that meets your organization’s talent objectives.
This guide will provide you with a 5-step new hire process as well as several new hire checklist templates tailored for a range of hiring position. Whether you need to hire a manager or for an IT role, we’ve got you covered. If you’re looking for a general new hire checklist (Word doc) then click the button below.
Contents
Why develop a comprehensive new hire process?
When things go wrong: How poor onboarding impacts organizations
5 Steps to creating a new hire process
New hire checklists
1. New hire checklist for HR [+ FREE Download]
2. New hire IT checklist [+ FREE Download]
3. New hire checklist for managers [+ FREE Download]
4. New employee training checklist [+ FREE Download]
Why develop a comprehensive new hire process?
In a post-pandemic, hybrid world, the race to retain top talent is intensifying. Organizations are no longer restricted by location when hiring and the promise of more flexible ways of working has become a great lure for many employees. The challenge is that with many employees now working remotely or through a hybrid model, onboarding and building a strong company culture have become more important than ever. Yet many businesses do not have a structured onboarding process.
Why does this matter? Let’s look at the stats:
- According to a Harvard Business Review study, up to 20% of new hire turnover occurs within the first 45 days of employment, often as a result of poor onboarding and employees feeling unwelcome and like they do not know what they are doing or what is required of them.
- Organizations with a standardized onboarding process experience 50% greater new hire retention and 62% greater new hire productivity.
- O.C. Tanner’s 2023 Global Culture Report found that only 43% of surveyed employees experienced an onboarding process that consisted of more than a one-day orientation and a packet of information on benefits.
- The average onboarding program lasts 90 days, but according to Gallup’s “Creating an Exceptional Onboarding Journey for New Employees” report, it takes 12 months for new employees to reach their full performance potential.
It’s clear from the findings that organizations that invest time and effort in their new employees reap the benefits. However, many organizations do not follow a structured onboarding process. As an HR professional, you can support your business and build an employer brand of choice that attracts and retains top talent through an onboarding plan based on an onboarding checklist for new hires.
Harvard Business Review says that the most effective organizations spend one year onboarding new hires, with a minimum 90-day process that is documented and monitored. These successful onboarding processes focus on 3 key dimensions: the organizational, the social and the technical – and, thanks to this integrated approach, they enable their employees to stay, engage and thrive.
When things go wrong: How poor onboarding impacts organizations
It’s clear that there are many pros to a structured onboarding program that is at least 90 days long, however, what happens without one in place? Do organizations simply miss the benefits of a good onboarding program, or are there negative impacts to consider? Once again, let’s take a look at what the stats tell us:
- Without a solid onboarding process, new hires may feel lost, disconnected, or misaligned with the company culture. This leads to dissatisfaction, with 16% of new hires leaving within the first week.
- Inadequate onboarding can lead to negative employee experiences, which may damage the employer’s brand. A survey by CareerBuilder found that 72% of employees with a negative onboarding experience were more likely to share it online, affecting the company’s ability to attract future talent.
HR tip
A new hire onboarding checklist aligns the entire organization around the same goals, lays a solid foundation for company culture and supports an environment of clarity, engagement, and alignment.
It’s also worth noting that failing to implement a structured onboarding process may also expose the organization to legal risks. Not properly informing new hires about compliance, regulations, and expectations can result in violations and potential legal liabilities, while the absence of a structured onboarding process can extend the time it takes for new hires to reach full productivity, leading to delayed projects and financial losses.
5 Steps to creating a new hire process
Creating a comprehensive new hire or onboarding process is a critical task for HR professionals that requires strategic planning, careful implementation, and continuous evaluation. This process is essential in integrating new hires into your organizational structure, culture, and workflow. So, before you create your onboarding checklist, consider what the entire process will look like. Here are key steps in creating an onboarding process:
1. Preboarding period
From the moment a candidate accepts your offer letter, it is important to begin building a relationship with them. This includes sending a welcome email, sharing essential information, and perhaps inviting them to virtually engage with future team members. It’s also a good idea to provide necessary documents, benefits information, and any pre-arrival forms that need to be completed. This ensures a smooth start on the first day.
2. First day
It’s important to give a warm welcome. Personalized greetings, an introduction to the team, and a tour of the offices (or a full company virtual welcome) can set a positive tone.
During the first day, give an overview of your organizational values, missions, and culture. This is all when you provide any necessary tools, including workstations, access cards, email accounts, and devices. Your new hire should end the day feeling like they are a full team member, even if they still have a structured onboarding process ahead of them.
HR tip
Explain your onboarding process for your new hire so that they can know what to expect and to assure them that they will be heavily supported while they are finding their feet.
3. First week
A new hire’s first week is all about role clarification, team integration, and training and support. We all know it does not take one week to get settled, but the foundations created during this first week are crucial.
Arrange meetings with team members and relevant departments to facilitate understanding and collaboration., Eensure your new hire has a detailed job description that includes expectations, goals, and an introduction to immediate projects., Additionally, and unpack the training your new hire can expect. This will most likely focus on specific tools, methodologies, or other job-specific requirements that the new hire will need to become familiar with.
4. First 90 days (the 30-60-90 day plan)
Successfully onboarding new hires requires a minimum of 90 days (or 3 months) for the new hire to become comfortable. Let’s break that down into the 30-60-90 day plan:
- 30 Days: Focus on understanding the role, culture, tools, and initial performance expectations.
- 60 Days: Encourage active participation in projects, collaboration with the team, and initiate regular feedback sessions.
- 90 Days: Evaluate initial performance, address challenges, and set clear objectives for the coming months.
Marna explains why onboarding should be 90 days long
90 days is long enough for employees to have moved through the initial ‘honeymoon phase’, where they might not be as objective about their role and the organization yet. This also gives new hires enough time to start building relationships and deliver at least one piece of meaningful work.
At the end of the 90 days, the employee should have achieved 3 things:
1. Made a connection to the organization
2. Understand how they will contribute, and;
3. Feel like they are valued.
5. First 12 months
After three months, regularly review and monitor employee performance to maintain new employee engagement and to ensure there is follow-through between onboarding and becoming more established in the office.
This should involve:
- Regular performance reviews and feedback sessions to ensure alignment with organizational goals.
- Discuss future prospects, career paths, additional responsibilities, or potential promotions.
- Collecting feedback on the onboarding process and adapting it for future new hires based on the insights gathered.
New hire checklists
1. New hire checklist for HR
Your organization’s new hire checklist documents your onboarding process and ensures a consistent onboarding experience for all new hires. Here is a sample of the elements to include. Click on the button to download your new hire checklist template in Excel format.
HR tip
Did you know that 86% of new employees decide whether they will be staying long-term at a company within their initial few months? Onboarding matters.
2. New hire IT checklist
While all new hires should go through the basic new hire checklist for HR, the integration of a new hire into an organization requires collaboration between multiple departments. The IT team in particular plays a crucial role in ensuring that an employee has the necessary tools and access to perform their duties. Below is a sample comprehensive IT checklist for HR professionals to arrange and manage. You can also download the new hire IT checklist by clicking on the button below.
3. New hire checklist for managers
A seamless transition into a new organization not only benefits the new employee but also enhances team dynamics and contributes to overall business success. As an HR professional, you can work closely with management teams to guide them through the process. Below is a new hire checklist for managers.
4. New employee training checklist
New hires will require introductory training to fully understand the organization’s core values and strategic goals, as well as get to grips with company systems and policies. A new employee training checklist will help you to ensure that all new hires are given the best start within the company. Download the free new hire training checklist by clicking the button below.
Marna’s top tips for HR:
- Don’t underestimate the value of relationships in the onboarding plan. This helps to create a sense of belonging, gets new hires up to speed quicker, and reinforces positive perceptions.
- Leave room for employees to co-create their 90-day plan. This allows them to commit to mutual goals and creates a greater sense of accountability and achievement.
- Don’t neglect leadership onboarding. The same principles of the 90-day plan apply to leadership onboarding, which can be tailored to reflect their people management and additional deliverables.
- Always make sure that hygiene factors are delivered seamlessly. These are things like building and system access, payroll, parking, and time and attendance. These make a big impact on the overall experience.
- Create mechanisms for feedback from new hires throughout the 90 days. This allows you to monitor the overall experience and address anything that is detracting from the experience, before it becomes a risk.
Improve your onboarding with new hire checklists
A new employee checklist covers various stages, tasks, and information required to efficiently integrate a new hire into an organization. These checklists are how successful onboarding programs are delivered.
An effective onboarding not only helps new hires to become productive more quickly and effectively but also significantly influences their decision to commit long-term to the organization. For HR professionals, having these detailed checklists at hand is invaluable. They offer a clear roadmap for the entire business, ensuring consistency, thoroughness, and high standards in the onboarding process.
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